Tag Archives: Potwin Fiber Artisans

Sock Inspiration

Posted on July 3, 2012 by | Comments Off on Sock Inspiration

One of my favorite things to knit in summer is socks. Top-down vanilla socks are easy for me now, because I can carry the pattern around in my head and I don’t have a large wool something on my lap when it’s 115 degrees outside. (And I do wish I was exaggerating.)

Here are a few pictures I took a couple of weeks ago of socks I have been working on.

I used yarn left over from my Daybreak shawl to knit a cute pair of shorty socks.

I really love these colors together!

Then, I treated myself to some Ginny Weasley sock yarn from Gnome Acres. I will admit I bought the yarn because of what it was called (it’s no secret that I love my Harry Potter), but the colors are gorgeous too.

Here’s how it’s knitting up for my size socks. (64 stitches over 8 stitches per inch, your mileage may vary.) Of course, this was a couple of weeks ago, so that sock is long finished. And I am onto the second one. I am seriously considering indulging in the Bertie Bott’s colorway next.

If you are a local, and want to learn to knit socks for yourself (and your friends and family) I still have space in my sock class!

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Weekend Update

Posted on July 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Weekend Update

I have so much news, it’s not even funny. I think the best way to proceed is in list form otherwise I will lose track of time.
Yarny News:

1. I will be adding a Farmer’s Market Schedule page to the website so all you locals can check in and find out what days I will be at the Farmer’s Market for the rest of the season. I should have thought of this in April, but it took me until July, so there you have it.

2. This week (July 7th) I will not have my own booth up at the Farmer’s Market because I will be doing my duty at the Potwin Fiber Artisans. However, I will be selling a selection of sock yarn at that booth this week that is normally in the Tiny Dino Studios booth. And it’s offered at 15% discount for anyone who signs up for my sock class.

3. Which brings me to some good news! I am finally back in the teaching game, and friends, it has been too long. In late July I will be offering my beginners sock class. If you live in NE Kansas and have always wanted to learn how to make yourself a warm pair of woolly sock for winter, now is the time to learn. Full details are on the Classes page. (However, if you want to sign up for the class, please EMAIL ME at marla at tinydinostudios dot com, and do not leave a comment on the blog.)

4. I (finally) ordered Tiny Dino Studios a Square, so as soon as next week I can start accepting credit card transactions in whenever!

In Other News:
5. My son’s birthday is on Friday. He will be six. 6! I really can’t believe how fast he’s growing. Accordingly, his third knitted puppy dog is underway, but way behind schedule.

6. My main goal for the day, after writing this blog post, is to reorganize my apartment. With three people, one running a business and one SCIENCE student, and one a child with many toys, this small space gets cluttered rather quickly if I don’t stay on top of things. And the past few weeks I have been anywhere but on top of things. Let’s just say I have my work cut out for me…

7.Upon last weighing, I have lost 25 lbs, which is an exciting and empowering experience. I promise I will write a blog post about that a little more in depth for those who are interested. A little preview, I have a ton more energy and I had bacon and eggs for breakfast.

8. And best of all, I finally found a job. I left my job at the coffee shop last November, and over the winter was able to support myself through various means while working from home. Then, this spring I started taking temporary positions when my various means were running a little dry. My last day of temping was Friday. The whole way along (since November) I have been applying for various and sundry positions I thought I might be good at / enjoy / be qualified for. I went to a few interviews, but didn’t find anything I really wanted to do, and obviously the hirers felt the same way about me, because nary a call for second interview came my way. I was at the point of discouragement where I enrolled to go back to school (which I am now going to have to undo…) And then, I had an interview with the Kansas Historical Foundation and it was the best interview ever. You know how when you go into an interview and they sit you down and say, “We just want to have a conversation about the position…” and it ends up just being a normal interview–yeah, well we actually had a conversation that was easy, and dare I say it, fun! I start Monday.

9. So, if you’re coming through Topeka this summer, may I suggest a short stop over? Of course you’ll want to go to the zoo and see the Penguins in the morning before it gets up to 105. But in the afternoon, when it’s so hot you feel you’ll melt, stop by the Kansas Museum of History and enjoy some air conditioning and some really interesting stuff.

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Bazaar Recap

Posted on May 7, 2012 by | Comments Off on Bazaar Recap

The bazaar this weekend was a lot of fun. I love a good excuse to hang out in a room full of people working on fibery pursuits. There was a lot of knitting (I was mostly working on a sock, because I am sooo exciting that way), spinning, weaving, and needle felting. I needle felted for the first time! I was very proud of my flat square of wool. I will have to get some more direction on how to make something other than a rectangle from Anna the next time she offers classes.

I have been making subtle changes to my set up every week.

This time I hung my hand dyed tops on my drying rack, which gave me room to spread the worsted weight yarn out a bit.

The best seller of the weekend was definitely the sock yarn.

My sock yarn shelf is starting to look just a little bit sad. It doesn’t help that I am out of vinegar and have consistently forgotten to purchase any when out for the past week–and therefore I can’t dye. As soon as a gallon of vinegar makes it home with me there will be more sock yarn.

I made a really great score from the BlushingEwe booth.

Tarnish on the left, Fireflower on the right. I had in mind to find something at the bazaar that I could weave a fun scarf for myself out of, and these two lovely ladies just fit the bill. I love how elegant and understated tarnish is, and how loud and saturated fireflower is. They are about the same percentages of wool, silk, and firestar, and I can’t help but feel I am going to have a very luxurious woven scarf when I finish.


Here they are pulled into roving and ready to spin. I like to pull it out so I still get all of the layers ate one time for the color and texture variation, but so that it is still in an orderly strip. I find spinning directly from batt form a little difficult.

I seem to be on a bit of a neck warmer kick. First the Ebbtide, then all the luxurious woven scarf planning, and of course, the Daybreak I started a few days ago.


I am a little less than half way through the striped section for the largest size. It’s very easy and fun to knit–and I love how retro looking my colors are turning out.

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Spring Bazaar

Posted on May 2, 2012 by | Comments Off on Spring Bazaar

A few of you locals might be interested to know that instead of being at the farmers market this weekend, I will attending the spring fiber arts!

I, the Potwin Fiber Artisans and I will be at Potwin Presbyterian Church in Topeka. We are on the First Friday Art Walk Friday from 5-9 pm. On Saturday, we will be open from 9am to 5pm. The coolest part is that we will be offering mini-classes, from knitting to spinning to weaving.

Come join us. It will be a blast!

Other notables:
Alpacas at Orchard Hill will be there (ie, the finest alpaca in Kansas)
Blushing Ewe will be there as well with her gorgeous batts. (I usually can’t resist buying one myself.)
The Industrious Knit’n Spin who has been working her tail off, so make sure you give her some love when you see her.

My mission, to find yarn and / or fiber for my first unsupervised weaving project.

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FO: Weaving Color Sampler

Posted on April 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on FO: Weaving Color Sampler

Get a load of my first rigid heddle weaving project!



I am taking the rigid heddle weaving class from the Potwin Fiber Artisans this month. I don’t think I could have taken a better class anywhere. Linda is a wealth of weaving knowledge. While I think most people would consider this a bit ambitious for a first project (four shuttles at once for a few inches!), I can’t tell you how useful it is. I can plan future projects by picking out any square of this sampler. Though I a currently weaving on a borrowed PFA loom, I can tell you when I get my own, the first thing I am going to make is a hounds-tooth scarf.



I am in love with the hounds-tooth.

And I am smitten with my first project. It’s riddled with little mistakes like most first projects, but because Linda set the assignment, I have more direction and confidence in my own weaving. Plus, pretty.



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Breakfast of Champions

Posted on March 28, 2012 by | Comments Off on Breakfast of Champions

I have a long, full day ahead of me, so I started it out right. Brock made me this heaping plate of peppery scrambled eggs and bacon. I couldn’t eat it all, so the leftover bacon is in a baggy for a snack later.

I am visiting a farm out in the country with some fiber friends where they sell garden supplies–hopefully I can get a good deal on some seedlings since the hail we had yesterday morning destroyed some of mine. After that I have some Farmer’s Market planning to do. Then, best of all, it’s Open Stitch Night at the PFA!

If you’re in the area, come join us from 7-9 pm at Potwin Presbyterian Church in Topeka, KS. Bring your favorite fibery project. I’ll be there with my spinning wheel and some sparklies, and hopefully will have had something to eat besides bacon.

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Sharing

Posted on March 2, 2012 by | Comments Off on Sharing

I have some fun internet things to share with you today.

If you have read my blog for any amount of time and still don’t know much about Juniper Moon Farm, now’s the time to get acquainted. They are my favorite non-local farm. It’s a beautiful place that produces so many good things fibery and non. Their newest venture is starting a magazine, the kind of hand-made magazine I always look for but never quite find. They have a bunch of amazing people already involved, and a Kickstarter campaign going to help get the magazine off the ground. (Check it out, if only so you can see the “The Revolution Will be Hand Knit” t-shirt design.) I can’t wait to see the first issue.

Locally, the Potwin Fiber Artisans are planning lots of good stuff for the summer-time. On top of new classes, we have a website now! (http://potwinfiber.org) as well as plans to be out at the Farmer’s Market tempting new folks to the fiber arts with spinning wheels and gorgeous fiber. Check out the website for news and events, as well as local vendors and teachers.

I am so excited for this spring/summer season, especially when I look outside and see snowflakes the size of my face raining down (but not sticking, thankfully). I can’t wait to get in the garden, help out at the goat farm (yes, you read that right), finish the first draft of my novel, create new goods, make some new knitters, and see you all out at the farmers market.

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Happy Leap Day

Posted on February 29, 2012 by | Comments Off on Happy Leap Day

Shawl fever continues around these parts. I spent most of the day yesterday knitting as I puzzled out the next few turns in my novel-in-progress. Instead of knitting on things I am going to sell at the Farmer’s Market or things I am going to sell in the etsy shop, (like the rest of that self-striping sock yarn that still needs to be reskeined….) I cast on another new project. I mean, it’s not a surprise really, I said on Monday I was planning to do so.

Blog, meet Ebbtide.

It’s a charming little pattern that I am knitting out of a cheerful canary yellow. I am justifying knitting this by telling myself it will be a display piece at the farmer’s market. A “Look what my yarn can do!” thing of beauty–and something to wear on days when it is just a bit too chilly.

I am in love with this color. I called it “canary” when I dyed it, but the more I knit with it, the more it reminds me of Big Bird–in a good way. Yesterday was mostly grey and rainy, so the bright pop of yellow on was exactly what I needed to keep my inspired.

I did a tiny bit of work on Snow Drops.

I don’t think I am completely a lace weight convert yet. I am enjoying it but it still feels so dainty. (Perhaps I need smaller fingers?) Then again, sock yarn felt the same way to me the first couple of times I used it, so I imagine by the time I am finished with The Lace Shawl, I will be able to knit with lace yarn in my sleep.

For now though, I am going to plow away on Ebbtide.

Because it is yellow, and it is leap day, and because I am in a yellow, self-indulgent, leap day kind of mood.

If you wish to behold the awesome yellow-ness of Ebbtide in person, it is what I will be bringing with me to the PFF night tonight. Here is your official invitation.

Open Stitch Night
7-9pm
Potwin Presbyterian Church
Topeka, KS
All fibers and crafts welcome.
No business. All fun.
http://potwinfiber.org

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PFA Classes March 2012

Posted on February 19, 2012 by | Comments Off on PFA Classes March 2012

PFA Classes for March 2012
Classes will be held at the Potwin Presbyterian Church. Enter through the South Door.
To register, contact the instructor!

FELTING
Monday, March 5th, 6-8pm
FELT THIS! Needle Felted Coffee Sleeve class Fee: $15 Description: Continue to explore the ancient practice of creating the fabric known as felt from wispy fibers in amazing colors. No experience is needed for this class as you use a template to create a coffee sleeve for your to-go cup. By the end of this 2 hour class, you should have your sleeve completed and ready to use. (Limited to 12 students.) Materials: Bring your felting needle(s), foam base, two ounces or more of wool fibers in colors of your choosing. (A limited number of needle felting kits with needle, small foam base and 50 grams of fibers will be available on the day of the class for $15.)
Instructor: Anna Walker aka @FELTit on Twitter, annasplaceofholding@gmail.com
CONTACT INSTRUCTOR TO RSVP YOUR CLASS SPOT.

Friday, March 9th, 2-4pm
FELT THIS! Needle Felted Create-A-Creature class
Fee: $30 Description: Using an armature built from chenille stems and fiberfill, and your imagination, create a creature of your choosing, real or imaginary. Blend the wispy fibers and learn to use your felting needle to create details and texture in your sculpture. No experience is needed for this class as you learn how to blend and combine different colors and textures of the fibers to create your creature. By the end of this 2 hour class, your creature should be mostly created, and you’ll have ideas for finishing details to complete at home. (Limited to 12 students.) Materials: Bring your felting needle(s), foam base, two or more ounces of wool fibers in assorted colors of your choosing. Chenille stems and fiberfill will be provided by instructor. (A limited number of needle felting kits with needle, small foam base and 50 grams of fibers will be available on the day of the class for $15.)
Instructor: Anna Walker aka @FELTit on Twitter, annasplaceofholding@gmail.com
CONTACT INSTRUCTOR TO RSVP YOUR CLASS SPOT.

Tuesday, March 20th, 10am-4pm
FELT THIS! Wet Felted Mini-Painting class
Fee: $75 Description: During this class you will build a multi layered wool painting from the fibers you bring to create the background for a silhouetted tree. Learn the technique of ensuring even shrinkage during felting, and discover beauty of how the fibers migrate and blend during the felting process. You’ll leave class with ideas for further embellishment of your painting. (Minimum of 4 students and maximum of 12.) Materials: Bring an old towel to transport your painting home, two ounces of natural colored fibers for the base and four ounces of dyed wool roving-NOT SUPERWASH! I recommend merino or BFL blends of no more than 30% other fiber like silk or bamboo. (Instructor will bring soap, bubble wrap, and other tools for wet felting and will have black and fancy fibers to add details to your painting. Instructor will also bring drum carder in case you want to blend your fibers. Dress in comfortable clothing that could get wet and non-slip shoes) We will take a lunch break, so bring a lunch and drink with you as well.
Instructor: Anna Walker aka @FELTit on Twitter, annasplaceofholding@gmail.com
CONTACT INSTRUCTOR TO RSVP YOUR CLASS SPOT.

PotwinFiberArtisans@gmail.com Find Potwin Fiber Artisans on Facebook!

CROCHET
Sundays, March 11th & 25th, 2-4pm
Crochet for Beginners Fee: $30 Description: Learn the skills needed to begin a crochet project, including overhand knot, chain, slip stitch, single crochet, and double crochet. We will make a small purse or electronic device cover for a cell phone or MP3 player. (Limited to 8 students.) Materials: Bring 1 US Size H crochet hook, 100 yards worsted weight yarn (1 skein, any fiber), and a pair of small scissors.
Instructor: Susan Hudgens, Dementia@wildblue.net
CONTACT INSTRUCTOR TO RSVP YOUR CLASS SPOT.

Thursday, March 29th, 1-3pm
Demystifying Crochet Gauge Fee: $15 Description: Tame this dreaded dragon and advance your crochet skills in this lively workshop on gauge. If you need help with a project, please bring it. (Limited to 8 students.) Materials: Bring 2 or 3 crochet hooks in different sizes, 100 yards worsted weight yarn (1 skein, any fiber), a pair of small scissors, and a small ruler.
Instructor: Susan Hudgens, Dementia@wildblue.net
CONTACT INSTRUCTOR TO RSVP YOUR CLASS SPOT.

—-
Unfortunately, no knitting classes this month. I will be back next month with another project class. Possibly another beginning knitting class. I am more than willing to take suggestions!

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